More than 25.6 million people in disaster-prone areas across 121 countries benefited from risk reduction efforts, the Red Cross says.

But without an understanding of cultural factors, efforts to combat disaster impacts were restrained.

Australian Red Cross head of international program Peter Walton says the link between cultural understanding and reducing risks around disasters plays a big role in saving lives.

Mr Walton cited the current Ebola outbreak.

“In Sierra Leone, a religious figure recently convinced a million people to get up in the middle of the night and wash with salt water while reading from the Bible, to protect themselves from Ebola,” he said.

“Salt water does not protect people from Ebola. Whilst soapy water and weak chlorine solution can kill the Ebola virus, incidents like these show that agencies need to work effectively with a broad range of community leaders to minimise risks and dangers to the public in emergencies.”

People respond to disasters better and recover more quickly if they are well-prepared, with education keeping in mind cultural beliefs, he says.

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